Prince Harry performs Maori hongi at service to commemorate Kiwi war dead

NEW Zealand’s fallen have been honoured by Prince Harry who reached another milestone in his official life — performing his first Maori hongi.

Harry attended a service to commemorate the New Zealand troops who died during the Allied campaign to take Monte Cassino from Nazi forces during five months of bitter fighting which culminated in victory 70 years ago on Sunday.

And before it began he performed a number of hongis — the traditional Maori greeting — with senior guests who had gathered at a war ceremony in the town of Cassino overlooked by the imposing Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino.

New Zealand forces played a big part in the second and third battles of Monte Cassino in 1944 before victory was secured in the fourth battle.

The conflict claimed many lives becoming the bloodiest battle in Europe with an estimated 250,000 men killed or wounded.

Controversially the monastery was heavily bombed and destroyed in a bid to make a breakthrough, but the move failed and the holy site was later rebuilt.

Harry, 29, who attended the ceremony as a member of the New Zealand Royal Family, performed his first hongi when he met the country’s Governor General Sir Jerry Mateparae.

Both took off their military hats to press their noses and foreheads together and then repeated the greeting inside the cemetery after the prince had signed a book of remembrance.

Harry then joined veterans and the governor-general in a slow procession to the Cross of Sacrifice led by an arrowhead of Maori warriors, flanked by two airmen in uniform twirling purerehua, Maori wind instruments, above their heads to make a buzzing sound.

As they moved forward a Maori cultural group performed a maimai aroha, or chanting, and a karanga — a spiritual call.

During the open-air service hymns were sung, contemporary accounts of the battles were read and a minute’s silence was observed after a bugler had sounded the Last Post.

Harry laid a wreath at the Cross of Sacrifice as did other dignitaries, including the governor-general.

Many New Zealand veterans of the battle of Monte Cassino had made the long journey from their homeland to attend the service and honour fallen comrades whose graves surrounded them.

After the ceremony they patiently queued to shake hands with Harry and many cracked jokes — with Brian Schofield, 92, from Auckland telling the Prince “you be good”, and he replied: “I will.”